Deep Cover

The gilded carriage came to a halt, the horses neighing as the reins were pulled. As soon as the conveyance stopped rolling, one of the doors popped open and Lord Zackery Falconoak leaned out, moving the retractable steps on the side of the carriage into position before climbing down.

Once upon the ground, he turned and held out a hand to Rosellina, a smile on his face as he helped her down the stairs in the ornate gown she was wearing. She couldn't see her shoes through the seemingly endless fabric of her garments and was grateful for the assistance to solid ground. She smiled at him as they stood in the moonlight before Lightston Estate, simply staring into his eyes.

Lord Falconoak had treated her to a whirlwind romance over the past three days, wining and dining her both at his estate and at very exclusive and expensive eating establishments throughout the city. He'd taken her on a horseback ride through Elwynn, and even brought her to see the exotic hot air balloon the Pandaren had brought to the city from far away lands. In all of her life, Rosellina had never been treated so well, and despite her initial misgivings about Lord Falconoak's rather less than bolstered fortitude and the ten year age difference between them, she had truly enjoyed her time with him.

As they stood there staring at one another, Lord Falconoak's smile widened and he leaned forward. Before Rosellina knew what was happening, he was kissing her passionately, and her body responded in kind, the return kiss as equally full of passion. Despite herself and her mission, she could feel her heart racing in her chest, the emotion surprising her given her training and the double life she was currently leading. As soon as the thought crossed her mind a stabbing feeling of guilt assailed her, filling her with doubt. Although it was her duty and her chosen profession, misleading him simply felt wrong all of a sudden. She opened her mouth to tell him, to clear the air and her conscience before the guilt built any further.

Before she could speak, he leaned forward, a finger pressed to her painted lips, “Shhh, there will be ample time to talk in the future my lovely. After tomorrow night we won't have any more worries and my wife will no longer present a threat to us. Then, why then my dear Bernice we will have our entire lives ahead of us to share with one another. I dearly look forward to it.”

He caressed her cheek, the touch sending a shiver up her spine before he removed his hand. The nagging guilt continued to ache inside, but she merely nodded and smiled, “Tomorrow night then Zack. And then it'll all be over.”

He nodded, taking her hand in his and bringing it to his lips before letting go, “I will let you get some rest now. I know you are unused to the adventure that the morrow will bring so try to get some sleep. The eastern gate will be unlocked, just as we've discussed.”

With that he turned, climbing back into the carriage and tapping on the roof to signal his driver. The carriage driver snapped the reins and the carriage began to roll, quickly pulling out of sight and leaving Rosellina standing alone in front of Lightston manner.

As soon as the carriage was out of sight, she turned to begin walking inside when a shadow detached itself from the nearby bushes, materializing into the form of Lord Warten, “You're playing a dangerous game here Rose.”

Rosellina paused, taken aback by his sudden appearance. She shook her head, sighing, “I'm doing exactly what you've ordered me to do; getting inside. Not only have I succeeded in that, but I have unraveled the scheme behind the weapons. Tomorrow night at midnight I will take a small team of operatives disguised as House Lightston soldiers to the Falconoak Estate. There we will capture Lord Falconoak's wife in the act of preparing another, more dangerous shipment of weapons. We'll have culprit and evidence all in one neat bundle.”

Lord Warten stepped closer, giving Rose a hard stare, “And then? Lord Falconoak will come to understand you are not the Lady Bernice Lightston. You understand that once the mission is over, it's over, don't you?”

Rosellina paused, swallowing hard and nodding, “Yes sir. I know my duty. I know where my loyalty is. I will see this through until the end.”

Lord Warten nodded, his expression softening, “I believe you will Rose. You've done a wonderful job so far. Go and do as Lord Falconoak suggested and get some rest. I've a feeling tomorrow night will be quite eventful either way.”

Rosellina nodded, turning and heading into the estate, the door closing behind her. Lord Gregory Warten watched her go, standing alone in the front of the Lightston Estate. After a few moments, a second shadow detached itself from the bushes, walking towards him and saluting.

“Sir, my operatives are in place to set up the surveillance post as you've ordered,” the man said.

Lord Warten nodded, his face grim, “Good. See to it that no one comes or goes from Falconoak Estate without our knowledge. I trust Agent Cooke to do a good job, but I will never trust that a situation is as stable as she'd like to believe.”

The operative nodded and then walked off, blending with the shadows only a second later and leaving Lord Warten alone with his thoughts. He nodded grimly to himself, strolling casually away from the lights of the estate behind him. Rosellina Cooke was a well trained professional, but he had seen the way her breath caught in her chest when Lord Falconoak touched her. He had been in the game for far too long to trust that she would be completely impartial when it came time to draw blade.

In his many years as an operative and later as a handler, Lord Warten had come to see many missions succeed and fail. He was far too experienced to leave such things to chance, and a second group of operatives working independently would ensure that when the last piece was played on the game-board, it would mean the end of the game for the enemies of the Crown.

If Lord Warten was anything, it was thorough in carrying out his assigned duties. He hummed an old tune to himself as he walked away, disappearing into the night.

Faces of Deception

"The Lady Bernice Lightston!" the herald called out, the sound only partially heard over the murmur of the crowd of nobles who filled the foyer and the large hall beyond.

Rosellina smiled, nodding her thanks to the herald as he took her invitation card and walking towards the throngs of nobles. She was dressed in a deep red dress that faded almost to orange near the bottom, the warm summer colors accenting those areas on her shoulders and arms where her skin was exposed. The ball was a masquerade, and her dress had been complemented with an ornate mask that covered the vast majority of her face, the gilded front resembling a sun with the rays curling up and away from her face and through her hair in glittering gold.

As she made her way into the main banquet hall she looked around, checking to ensure that any of the real Lady Lightston's friends were either not in attendance or that they had not noticed her arrival. She had purposely come a little late such that the guests would already be engaged in conversation and less likely to notice her arrival, and so far it seemed to be paying off. With everyone wearing masks, it was likely that even good friends might not spot one another amongst all of the other nobles, and with dancing, music, and wine to take their attention it would allow Rosellina the chance to wander around the estate, gaining as much information as she could.

Even as she confirmed that the plan was progressing smoothly, the band struck up a lively tune and a number of nobles moved towards the dance floor, the ball already beginning to pick up in tempo and the wine flowing freely. Rosellina snagged a glass of wine from a servant that offered it to her, pretending to sip it as she slipped through the crowd. There were few guards visible around the hall and based on the throng of nobles congregating on one end of the dance floor the party's host, the Lord Zackery Falconoak, would be busy for quite some time to come.

Smiling behind her mask, Rosellina set her wine glass down on a nearby table and slipped towards a door on the side of the hall; one that lead deeper into the estate.

**************************

It had been child's play to slip out of the ball itself, making her way through the unguarded door and into the corridors beyond. Whenever Rosellina did encounter a guard or servant, she merely asked them where the powder room was and affected a vapid air about her, offering a thanks and a giggle before heading off. As soon as the servants or guards disappeared from sight, she'd continue on her path, always seeking out the more plushly appointed rooms, searching for the private den or office that the Lord of the house would likely keep for himself.

After trying a number of doors only to find guest chambers, storage closets, and at one point what appeared to be a meeting or conference room, Rosellina finally pushed opened a door at the end of a long hallway, revealing a plush den beyond.

The room had a number of stuffed chairs surrounding a small hearth that had a fire going in it, the other portion of the room taken up by a large desk with a tall-backed leather chair behind it. Papers lay across the desk along with quill and ink, and rich tapestries hung from the walls and gave the room a warm, rich feeling to it. A small door lead off of the den, presumably towards some private areas only accessible by the Lord of the estate himself, and one wall of the room was made entirely of windows that presently had thick velvet looking curtains covering them.

Beneath her mask Rosellina smiled; this was exactly what she was looking for. Judging by the paperwork on the writing desk and other scrolls and books on a nearby bookshelf, it appeared that she had found Lord Falconoak's private study. She took a step towards the desk, her gilded high heels making no sound on the expensive carpet that covered the flooring.

No sooner had she reached for the first stack of papers on the desk than a sound came from the corridor behind. In a panic, Rosellina dropped the paperwork, turning and straightening her dress before affecting a neutral expression. The door to the den pushed open and a man entered the room, pausing to stare at her.

He was tall and dressed in the latest style of the nobles of Stormwind. Lean and lacking a warrior's build, he had long blonde hair that came past his shoulders. With his face obscured by a mask depicting a classic theatrical smiling face, it was hard for Rosellina to identify him at first, but the tone of his voice as he spoke immediately made her realize that she had encountered none other than the Lord Falconoak himself.

"W-what are you doing in here?" he complained, almost sighing the question out.

Rosellina offered him a smile, dipping her head, "I'm terribly sorry my Lord. I was merely searching for the powder room to fix my hair and I got all turned around and then the guards gave me directions but I totally could not remember which way they said to go. I'm really sorry!"

The man paused, reaching up to pull off his mask. His ice blue eyes studied Rosellina closely, and she forced herself to stand still as he looked her over like a prime piece of beef on a plate. After a moment, he smiled, seemingly satisfied with what he saw, "I see. Well then, it's no trouble. I was simply attempting to escape the crowds. These balls can be so tiresome as I'm sure you can imagine. By the way, what is your name dear? Let's see your face."

With another dip of her head, Rosellina reached up and carefully removed the gilded sun mask, offering Lord Falconoak another smile, "My name is Bernice Lightston, my Lord. And yes there were so many people. I couldn't believe how well attended your party was!"

Lord Falconoak waved a hand, smiling at Rosellina, "Now now, we're alone and in my private study. Please call me Zack. And would you care for a drink? I need something to take the edge off."

Rosellina smiled and nodded, "That would be wonderful my L-...Zack. I would be delighted to share a drink with you."

With another smile Lord Falconoak walked across the room, setting his mask down on the writing desk and reaching down to one of the drawers. With a flourish he produced a bottle and two small glasses, the wine an extremely rare and expensive vintage. Rosellina plastered a look of elation on her face as he looked her over again, watching as he poured two decently sized glasses of the red liquid.

"Please, come and sit," he said, handing a glass to Rosellina before proceeding to the oversized chairs near the hearth. She watched him as he walked, trying to discern if he had a bit of elven blood in him. Given his leanness, the hair, and the way he moved it almost seemed so. She shrugged and followed after him; it was not like she knew what her own heritage was, and he was certainly different when he wasn't in battle or being draped over the saddle of her horse.

As she sat, he continued to devour her with his eyes, and she made her best effort to encourage him to keep looking, leaning just so and offering him another dazzling smile. After a moment he looked up into her eyes again, seeming curious, "You know, you look somewhat familiar, although I do not believe I've ever met you before Lady Lightston."

Rosellina waved a hand at him, shaking her head, "No I do not believe we've met before, although I've seen you at other events I am sure. And please, call me Bernice! We should be on friendly terms I think!"

Lord Falconoak took a sip of his wine, nodding at her, "Bernice it is then! And yes, I could use more friends indeed. These are troubled times for my House and it never hurts to have someone to speak with about such matters, especially one who is likely to brighten my evening as much as the stars would in the sky."

Rosellina actually blushed, the emotion rolling through her quite accidentally. She laughed, shaking her head again, "You're too kind Zack. It does displease me to hear that you are experiencing troubles though. If I may ask, what ails your House? Perhaps House Lightston can be of service to you?"

Rosellina had purposely slipped a subtle inflection into her voice, the tone implying that 'service' could be any number of things. Now it was Lord Falconoak's turn to blush, and he looked away and into the fire for a moment, "That...is quite kind of you to say. Your company alone has already done wonders for my current state of mind. You see, things had been going well until recently, when I was cruelly mistreated by my harridan of a wife. Although I cannot provide any evidence, I think that she was responsible for my recent abduction!"

Rosellina's eyebrows shot up, and she looked at Lord Falconoak with a keen eye, "W-wife? Oh I do hope that you won't have any trouble for having me here in your den Zack. I would hate to give you any additional worries. And an abduction? That sounds truly evil! I am glad to see that you managed to escape unharmed, you poor dear!"

She reached over, patting him on the knee in a friendly manner, her fingertips lingering just a tad too long. He smiled at her, and she could see the contact taking affect in his expression, "Oh no no, it's quite alright Bernice. In fact, it is more than alright. I have had issues with her for some time now, and if she is going to plot against me so openly that it threatens my life....well, her opinion is hardly something I concern myself with at this point. As for the abduction, it is most fortunate that my manservant was able to escape and notify the authorities. Stormwind's guards launched a rescue effort, although they could not find enough evidence to convict my wife of the crime, not yet at least."

Rosellina nodded sagely, giving him a sly wink, "Well then, I am glad to hear both that you are well, and that you are taking this in stride. It is the mark of a truly great Lord when he overcomes such difficulties with the grace you've displayed. Please, if there is anything I can do to help uncover your wife's illicit activities, you have but to ask. We are all citizens under the Crown, and I would be remiss not to offer my hand in aid to such a brave and honorable man like yourself."

As she took a sip of her wine, Lord Falconoak considered Rosellina's words, his eyes straying over her form again. He offered her a nod and a smile, sipping his own wine before replying, "You know, I do believe you just might be able to assist me. You see, for the longest time I have been unable to act, as she controls much of my guard force. She would know before I could make a move that would expose her, leaving me helpless. But you...you must have your own men, your own wealth upon which you can call. Why, between us, I suspect we could create a conspiracy to uncover exactly what she is up to, wouldn't you say?"

Rosellina blinked, forcing herself to make her eyes go wide. She pressed a hand to her chest, pretending to be startled by the notion, "Me? Involved in a conspiracy? Why...that is such a novel concept. Can you imagine? Me, the Lady Bernice Lightston, uncovering dastardly deeds like in the stories and plays I adore! How wonderful! Of course I would love to assist you Zack, especially if this meant we could spend more time together."

Lord Falconoak smiled, raising his glass in toast to Rosellina, "Naturally it would be my pleasure to do so. Why, I do believe this will be the beginning of a most wonderful friendship! To a conspiracy then, Lady Lightston!"

Rosellina laughed, raising her own glass, "To a conspiracy, Lord Falconoak!"

As they drank their wine, Rosellina managed to keep the mirth out of her eyes and expression. It wasn't easy of course, but she did a fairly good job of it.

****************************

Hours later a gilded carriage left the Falconoak estate, Rosellina safely seated within it. She had had just enough wine to give her cheeks a slight flush, but not enough to dull her wits or senses. She and Lord Falconoak had talked for many hours, and she had learned much about the nature of the man whom she had saved during that ambush in the forest.

Like any other noble in the city he could be pompous and arrogant, although his seemingly fragile form and delicate nature was a stark contrast to many of the powerful warriors and knights that Rosellina had observed in the past. Although he was unable to control his roaming eyes, he was overall rather respectful and polite. It would not be impossible to work with him.

He had left her with promises that they would meet again soon and begin planning what to do about his wife. Rosellina knew that this was the in she was looking for. She'd find out exactly where the weapons were originating from and put an end to the situation before it presented any more danger to the heroes fighting against the Kor'kron in the Barrens.

And if her duty involved her sometimes having to be escorted around like a noblewoman, regularly complimented by lords of the city, and partake of some of the rarest wine she would likely ever consume...well, everyone had to make sacrifices for their nation sometimes, didn't they?

A Way In

The three figures walked up the ornate cobblestone pathway to the front of the estate, beautiful gardens surrounding them and dotting the perfectly manicured lawn that made up the front portion of the gated property. As they approached the marble steps leading up to the double doors of the structure, the leader of the three paused, looking back at the other two.

All three wore purple robes and hats or hoods, each bearing the emblem of the Kirin Tor on their chests. Each of them had spell components hanging from their belts and staves at their backs as any practicing magi of the Kirin Tor might. As she looked her companions over, Rosellina smiled and nodded, turning and walking up the steps and knocking on the door; they were as ready as they would ever be.

Only a moment went by before one of the double doors opened and a man with graying hair stuck his head out of the entrance. He looked the three over, his eyebrows rising as he spoke, "How may I assist the Kirin Tor?"

Rosellina offered him a charming smile, speaking for the group, "Good day sir. We've come to see the Lady Bernice Lightston in relation to urgent matters that require her attention."

The man, clearly a servant of the Lightston family, nodded and replied, "Yes of course. If you will wait a moment I will see if Lady Lightston is available for an audience."

With that he was gone back into the depths of the estate, the door closing gently in front of Rosellina. She looked back at her companions again, exchanging glances with the other undercover SI:7 operatives. They'd planned the ruse well in advance and now it was time to see if it would bear fruit. A moment later the door opened again, wider this time as the man gestured for the trio to enter, "Lady Lightston will see you at once. If you would be so kind as to follow me, esteemed Magi."

With that the three were inside the estate and quickly lead into a parlor off of the main hallway on the ground floor. They were ushered onto plush couches and a minute later a well-dressed noblewoman appeared, looking somewhat apprehensive as she entered the room. Rosellina studied her carefully, noting her somewhat darker complexion and the jet black hair on her head. Although she was not as dark as Rosellina herself and was quite a bit older, the two shared some similarities in appearance. Enough for the plan to continue as originally scheduled. Rosellina carefully stretched, her fingers looking as if she were simply flexing them but in reality giving a complex series of signals to her companions.

"To what do I owe the honor of a visit from the Kirin Tor?" Lady Lightston asked as she sat on a couch across from the three, taking care to adjust the many layers of skirts she wore so they lay just the way she wanted them.

Rosellina spoke, putting on an apologetic tone, "My Lady, my name is Rose and I'm an investigator of matters arcane amongst the Kirin Tor. Specifically my role is to investigate potential criminal activity in relation to the use of magic or magical artifacts. It pains me to have to pay you a visit without notice, but I bear urgent and dire news."

As expected, the complexion of the noblewoman across from Rosellina paled at the words, and she wrung her hands together, looking alarmed, "C-criminal activity? Magic? W-why, I've no idea what this is about!"

Rosellina held up a placating hand, offering the other woman a reassuring smile, "Lady Lightston, rest assured that the matter is not in relation to you or any of your staff, but rather is an unfortunate consequence of the location of your estate. You see, last evening we were able to apprehend a rogue mage who was using magic most foul. Unfortunately, the cur had fled to grounds adjacent to your estate. During his apprehension he unleashed a volatile spell that allowed a number of untamed elementals to appear and disperse into the area. We are here to ensure that they are properly contained and removed so as not to cause you or others any inconvenience."

Lady Lightston's eyes widened but she nodded, seeming to relax somewhat once she understood the nature of their visit. She cleared her throat, her voice still containing a trace of anxiety, "I s-see. So then how can House Lightston assist the Kirin Tor in this matter?"

Rosellina shook her head, "It is actually we who will assist you Lady Lightston. We wish to keep you and your staff from harm during our clean-up efforts. I have come to ask if you would consider taking a vacation to one of your summer homes for a few weeks so as not to put yourself at risk. While we appreciate your offer of assistance, obviously we would not want to place you in any danger."

"D-danger....er...yes, yes I see," the noblewoman said. "It has been several months since I've traveled. Perhaps a trip to the hot springs in Feralas is overdue. A-and you will take care of this potential menace while I'm gone?"

"Rest assured Lady Lightston; your property will be completely cleansed of any rogue elementals or magic that may cause you and your staff harm. We will see to the security of the area for the duration and your estate will be perfectly secure and safe," Rosellina replied.

The noblewoman nodded, rising from her couch and clapping her hands. A servant appeared at the doorway and she began to bark a stream of orders, "James! I'll be taking a trip at once. Please put together enough things for three weeks. Do be sure to include my travel clothing and see to it that we've booked passage on the next ship bound for Tanaris. The rest of the staff may have leave for the duration of my trip."

The servant nodded and hurried off as Rosellina stood and walked to where the noblewoman stood. She placed a hand on her arm, offering her another smile, "Thank you Lady Lightston. The assistance that you are rendering to the Kirin Tor will not be forgotten, and when you return everything will be orderly and to your liking."

The noblewoman offered Rosellina a smile of her own and then turned to go oversee her servants as they prepared. Her voice could be heard echoing through the estate as she hurried her staff along, her anxiety obvious in her tone of voice.

******************************

Three hours later Rosellina waved as an expensive carriage began to move out of the entrance-way of the estate. As soon as the conveyance had taken Lady Lightston out of sight, she turned and nodded to the disguised SI:7 agents.

"Search the house. I know it's in here and we'll need it in order to proceed with the next steps."

The three entered the estate and split up, with Rosellina heading to the master suite and looking through the closets there. She went through Lady Lightston's clothing, looking over the various dresses and outfits and picking out a few that might fit her without too much effort or alteration. As she was wrapping up, one of the other operatives entered the room, a letter in hand.

"I've found it," he said, holding the letter out to Rosellina. She took it and read it over, nodding and smiling. It was an invitation to a ball that was to be held at the end of the week. A ball being thrown by none other than one Lord Zackery Falconoak. It was a way to get into his estate and begin her task of uncovering the source and destination of the weapons.

Rosellina smiled, nodding to the other operative, "It seems Lady Lightston will indeed be attending the ball. And once I'm inside, we will see what we can find. Good work. Let's secure the estate and get the next phase set up."

The other operative nodded and headed out, leaving Rosellina alone with the dresses she'd picked out. She'd be wearing one soon enough, playing the part of the charming Lady Lightston and finding a way to ferret out the secrets of traitors amongst the King's nobles. It was almost child's play.

A Day Off

The sun sparkled on the choppy water of Stormwind's harbor, the morning light reflected a thousand times a minute from the distant ocean. A warm summer breeze flowed throughout the city, the sky above a cloudless and beautiful blue.

Atop one of the battlements overlooking the harbor, Rosellina smiled as she looked down at the quaint scene below her. Wearing only a summer dress and sandals, she looked nothing like she did when she was engaged in her spying or even working at her cover job along the docks. The breeze toyed with the light fabric of her garments, making them ripple and setting her jet black hair to blowing a bit as she paused to consider the harbor.

In front of her was an easel and a canvas, part of the scene below already depicted in competent if not overly-gifted oil paint. Rosellina carefully set the brush to the canvas again, beginning the process of outlining one of the ships riding the waves in the far distance, slowly capturing the scene in her work. She knew she would never become a famous artist and that her work was mediocre compared to the 'professionals' she'd seen, but Rosellina didn't care; it was the joy of doing it, of creating that she enjoyed. It was the perfect thing to do on a warm summer morning when you had the day off.

This type of day didn't come often. A vast majority of her time was spent either keeping up with her cover job at the Blackleaf Trading Company or in spy work that had to be slipped in around her normal duties. It often meant that she had little time to sleep, let alone engage in personal hobbies or interests. When a moment like this came, she seized the opportunity every time for her own sanity's sake. Work would resume again within a day or so when the next shipments arrived at the pier or when she'd managed to worm out some more information about House Falconoak. All in due time, for now there was simply the present and the relaxing feeling of drawing the beauty before her.

"You're getting better," a voice said behind her.

Rosellina didn't jump, her hand steady as she completed the process of painting the ship's mainmast. She had known he was approaching her; she'd been trained for the past seven years to ensure that her senses and reflexes were up to par with what was required of an SI:7 agent after all.

"It's not about getting better, it's about ensuring that the emotion that you feel from the scene is captured in the work," Rosellina replied.

Behind her, Lord Gregory Warten stirred, moving to stand beside her before leaning on the stone railing that surrounded the overlook. He said nothing for a time, simply taking in the sights that she had elected to paint firsthand.

After a time he turned to watch her work, his tone pleasant, "You've caused me a great deal of trouble you know."

Rosellina applied another brush stroke to the canvas, one eyebrow perched on her head as she critically reviewed her work, "Oh? I had thought I was doing a good job so far, no?"

Lord Warten nodded, sighing, "You have, but then you had to go and ask questions that you weren't supposed to. Come on Rosellina...attempting to access a highly classified file? You're on your first assignment. Did you think they wouldn't report it back to me eventually?"

Rosellina shrugged, continuing to paint and not bothering to look over as she responded, "You taught me to ask questions, to seek and learn. A Death Knight approached me and I believed my mission was in danger. I took steps to learn. What else would you expect me to do?"

"You should have just asked me instead," Lord Warten said, sounding grumpy. "You most definitely should not have done what you did and THEN gone and lost a tail that followed you from central command. Do you know how suspicious that looks?"

Rosellina paused in her painting, giving the older man a wry smile, "It's not my fault if the agents at Command are not properly trained to follow someone through a crowd. I didn't even have to try."

Lord Warten frowned, his tone almost scolding now, "Rose, I know you think that this is a joke, but it's not. It's deadly serious. There are things that even you as a field operative cannot be allowed to know. The safety of the realm is of paramount concern."

Rosellina set her brush down, turning to look her mentor in the eye, "What happened to those Death Knights? Why do they fear us so much?"

"That is classified information," came the glib response. Rosellina scowled, shaking her head. "That is not acceptable. You've trained me. You taught me about why we do the things we do, about what we fight for. We serve His Majesty above all else. We serve His realm, His people. We uphold His laws even if we sometimes have to bend them in order to accomplish our goals. What we do, what we are here for, is fundamental to the protection of the Alliance's citizens. ALL of her citizens. Even the Death Knights. The same people who fight for us even after they've passed on, when they have no reason to uphold loyalty anymore."

"Rose...this is about security, it's ABOUT our jobs. You can't know everything, and when you aren't allowed to know something, you can't just attempt to circumvent the rules," Lord Warten replied. "I've done what I can to put this to bed for now, but it can't happen again do you understand?"

Rosellina turned away from him, picking her brush up once more before replying, "Sir, you've trained me to be an instrument of the King's justice. To be His sword against the darkness. ANY darkness. I cannot give up the belief that what we are doing is for the greater good. If I have to bend the rules now and then, you know I'm going to do that. I will serve you faithfully, loyally, and give my life for you and for the Crown. You know that too."

Lord Warten sighed, leaning on the stones again and shaking his head, "I know that Rose, I know that."

"Then don't try and change what I am. You know what I am useful for, and what I'm not. You know my capabilities. Trust me, trust that my loyalty will never be in question," she said quietly.

Lord Warten laughed, the sound echoing down into the harbor, "Oh Rose... the fact that you would even say that sentence leads me to believe that it's true, but that you also have much to learn about the work you do. A spy trusting anyone? Preposterous. If I mentioned this back at Command the laughter would be heard from here."

Rosellina shrugged her shoulders, applying another brush stroke to the canvas, "I can only be what I am sir. I will continue to do my job until you feel that I'm no longer suitable. We'll handle these hiccups as they come along."

Lord Warten smiled, nodding at her, "Very well then. Continue with your assignment. And please for the love of the Light try not to make me have to pull any more strings like that. There are only so many favors that I can get before I run out, and in this game you always want to have a few left over hmm?"

Rosellina smiled at him and nodded, "I'll do my best to be more careful when I break the rules next time."

Lord Warten laughed, turning and slowly walking away, "That's about as good as I'm going to get I suppose. Your first official reprimand went pretty well all in all. Have a lovely day off Rose."

She turned her attention back to her work, smiling to herself. Once Lord Warten was out of sight, she took up some black paint and painted a tiny little pirate flag on the ship in her painting; a flag that didn't exist on the real ship. A little bit of whimsy to go with the reality; some rebelliousness in the order of the scene. Exactly the way she liked it.

Rosellina might be a tool of the Crown, but in the end she was not an unthinking weapon. Her sword was meant to strike down evil, wherever it might rear its head. His Majesty's life and the security of His people were her primary concern, and if threats arose from within the ranks of His own forces, well Rosellina would deal with them just as handily as any other traitors she uncovered.

Beautiful Lies

The harbor was dark now and most of the dockworkers had gone home for the evening. That didn't mean that activity came to an end however; there were quite a few taverns open for the sailors that had returned from sea and these establishments were doing a lively business.

Rosellina watched the entrance to one particular tavern keenly from her spot across the street. The little stone building had light glowing from its windows onto the dirty, poorly maintained cobblestones outside and she could hear the roar of laughter rising from within the building. It was no wonder the crowd was so boisterous however; she had paid the tavern-keeper a significant sum of gold to keep the rum flowing long and strong amongst the crowd that evening.

She shifted in place, feeling somewhat ridiculous for a moment before focusing her mind once more. She looked down at the source of her discomfort; the outfit she was wearing. Seven inch high heels that were mostly a polished wooden platform with straps that went to mid-calf were only the beginning. Fishnet stockings rode up her legs to mid-thigh where they were held in place with lacy garters; she was reminded of this fact because the side of the black silk dress she wore was slit from ankle to hip, revealing most of her shapely legs to anyone who happened to wander by and take a peek. All in all, the 'dress' she was wearing could hardly be called such, the garment not even entirely covering her back and the plunging neckline leaving only the slightest bit to the imagination. Her attire was finished off with an over-abundance of cosmetics that painted her lips a bright red and spread a blush across her naturally dark cheeks.

She normally wouldn't be caught dead in such a thing. Actually, even if she was dead she swore she'd likely rise from her grave just to rip the ridiculous clothes off. She had a job to do however, and even as that thought crossed her mind the door to the tavern opened and three sailors stumbled out.

The men were exactly the ones she was waiting for; they were the same men that had departed from the recently returned House Falconoak vessel. The ship had docked earlier in the day, much lighter in the water than it had been when it set out. Given the fact that it had only been gone for a short while, Rosellina knew that it must have unloaded its cargo not too far from Stormwind. But where? She'd had agents alerted in Menethil and even Booty Bay, and no word had come back of any sightings of the ship. It had unloaded its cargo of weapons somewhere though and she needed to discover where that was, and so she stood and waited for the three drunken men to get closer.

As they neared, she stepped from the shadows, posing herself just so, with one foot out in front and her hands on her hips, "Hey there boys, wanna have a little fun tonight?"

The drunken sailors immediately paused and began to ogle her. She managed to maintain her poise, shifting in place in just the right way to keep their eyes on her body, "Come on now, one of you must have some coin hmmm? It's not too much honeys."

The sailors began to elbow each other, grins across their faces. No one volunteered and Rosellina knew she had to try harder lest they get away. She stepped closer, an arm wrapping around the shoulder of one of the men that had been staring the most. The cheap perfume she had doused herself in permeated the air around them as she pressed against him, "How about you sugar? Wanna have a good time? I can make this the best night of your life honey."

She almost laughed at the way his eyes bugged out as she leaned on him, but she could see by the grins of his friends and the way they were egging him on that she would be successful. She leaned closer, whispering her offer in his ear again, knowing it was going to be very hard to refuse with her hand sliding down the front of his breeches.

With a nod and a cheer from his buddies, the sailor allowed Rosellina to lead him down the block, her arm still draped around him and her body pressed close. The pair walked around a bend in the road, passing the narrow opening to an alley.

Although she knew it was going to happen, Rosellina was still surprised when the Stormwind Guards burst from the alley's mouth, their plate armored forms moving quickly to surround the pair. "You two! You're under arrest for prostitution!"

Rough hands seized her and Rosellina felt her arms being wrenched behind her back. The cold feeling of fetters being clasped in place was surreal, and she could see the drunken sailor protesting his innocence as he was trussed up by the guards as well. Rosellina played along, also protesting her innocence as the guards began to march them off towards a waiting cart. The two prisoners were dumped in the back and the guards began to haul them off towards the Stockades.

********************************

They arrived at the ominous fortification a few minutes later, both Rosellina and the sailor dragged from the back and roughly shoved into the open gate. The two were quickly separated once inside, the guards making snide remarks about them both as they lead Rosellina off through a nearby door. Once she was pushed inside, the guards exited through the same door and a second door on the other side of the room opened, Lord Warten stepping through with another SI:7 agent behind him. He smiled at Rosellina and quickly moved to undo her fetters, gesturing for her to follow once she was freed.

High heels clicking on the stones, Rosellina followed the other agents through the door and into a room that contained a false mirror, allowing them to see into the neighboring cell. Behind the glass the drunken sailor sat, holding his head in his fettered hands. The door to his cell banged open, a detective walking in.

"So...hiring a prostitute eh sailor?" the detective said with a displeased tone. "That's a serious offense there son. You're going to be in a lot of trouble. It'll go easier on you if you answer some questions though."

The sailor shook his head, his tone whining, "I didn't do nothin'! She offered it up! Whatcha want me to do eh? Say no? Light!"

The detective smiled, taking a seat across from the man at the table, shaking his head, "I don't think you understand the seriousness of your crime. You're gonna be in the Stocks for a long time son. A long time indeed. You want to run your mouth and you'll be in the part that's still a bit...unruly. Maybe in a cell next to the gnolls. Maybe WITH the gnolls if you know what I'm saying. You don't need all your limbs do you son?"

The sailor paled, groaning and holding his head, "W-what do you want? Ask your questions then. I-I'll tell you whatever j-just...i-is there any way we can forget about this whole thing?"

The detective smiled, hands steepled before him, "Depends on your answer son. Just want to know a few simple things. How much you getting paid to work on that ship you came in on? How many days were you at sea?"

"I-I get ten gold a w-week. Been at sea only for t-two days sir," the sailor said, his words still somewhat slurred from drink. "T-that's easy. That all you want to know?"

The detective had taken out a small notebook and seemed to be writing notes down, "That's good for a start. One more thing. Where'd you unload your cargo? Your ship came back without merchandise."

The sailor swallowed hard, getting more pale, "D-didn't have no cargo. D-don't know what your talkin' bout."

The detective sighed, shaking his head, "Son...see, this is the type of answer that's going to get you put in with the gnolls. I know you dropped cargo off. Tell me where and maybe, just maybe, you'll walk out of here tonight. Disappoint me and, well...it is very expensive to feed gnoll prisoners you know? We never have enough food for them."

The sailor looked down at his hands, saying nothing. After a few moments of silence the detective threw his notebook on the table, the boom of it landing echoing in the room, "Dammit son, tell me now before this gets ugly. I don't have time to be gentle with you here." He rose from his seat, beginning to unbutton and roll up his cuffs.

The sailor's eyes widened and he swallowed again, shaking his head, "O-Okay okay! J-just...just take it easy! W-we didn't deliver the cargo to a p-port. W-we were met by another ship t-two days out. W-was a strange little s-speed barge. One of those ones with engines instead 'o sails. G-goblins on it. Didn't see nothing else. Just pulled up next to use and we set up a ramp and unloaded the b-boxes. D-don't know nothing else, I swear!"

The detective nodded, returning to his seat and taking up his notebook again, smiling, "I knew you'd see things my way. Now then, a few more questions...."

*********************************

On the other side of the mirror Lord Warten turned, nodding at Rosellina and smiling, "Good work Rose. Now we know that those weapons were not delivered back on this continent. There's only a few places a goblin ship is going to make landfall and given that it was a speed barge we will be able to identify it more easily. I'll send out word to the other agents to keep an eye out for it right away. Once we know where it's landed, we can pursue the shipment then."

Rosellina smiled, nodding, "I'm glad I could help sir. I'll keep my eyes peeled here to see if I can find any more information about House Falconoak. There's got to be someone amongst them who is responsible for the shipments and knows more. We'll figure this out before it gets out of control."

Lord Warten nodded, looking back towards the glass, "We have to. Those weapons could be going to the Kor'kron if the goblins are getting their hands on them. It could undermine all of our work out there, and get Alliance soldiers killed. Keep up the good work Rose. I know we can count on you."

Rosellina smiled, turning and walking from the room, her ridiculous heels clicking again as she left. Lord Warten turned in time to catch the other SI:7 agent in the room staring at Rosellina as she left, and he was amused to feel a surge of almost fatherly anger well up within him.

We can't afford to get attached in this line of work. She's not really your daughter there Gregory.

"You lose something there Agent?" he said sarcastically. The other man's eyes immediately snapped away from the departing woman and back to Lord Warten. The door closed behind Rosellina and the two looked through the glass at the ongoing interrogation.

"See to it that this is wrapped up while the sailor is still drunk," Lord Warten said.

The other agent tilted his head, looking puzzled, "Sir?"

"Once it's done, see to it that he's released back to the harbor. The poor lad is very drunk though, I think he might fall off one of the retaining walls around the harbor. Such a waste," Lord Warten said, his eyes never leaving the interrogation on the other side of the glass.

"Understood sir, I'll take care of it," the agent replied before turning to leave.

Lord Gregory Warten said nothing, watching and listening to the interrogation as it was wrapped up. That he'd ordered a life taken was nothing new; it was part of the life of being in SI:7. He'd ordered many deaths in the past and would do so well into the future. The man in the other room had seen Rosellina. Warten knew that he couldn't afford to risk the chance that he might identify her again. She was a valuable tool, even if her morals would likely cause her to object to the death of an innocent target just to glean some information.

Fortunately she never had to know. That too was part of life in SI:7. Lord Warten nodded to himself before turning to leave, his mind already engaged with other topics. 

Blown Cover

Rosellina paced back and forth across the length of her small living room. Thoughts swirled through her mind ranging from self-reproach to resignation over the situation. Here she was on her very first assignment and not two weeks into it her cover had already been blown. The fact that it was not really her fault did little to alleviate the feelings of guilt the thought brought with it.

"Of all the places that someone could have run into me, who would have thought it would be the orphanage?" Rosellina murmured to herself.

Indeed, her encounter with the undead woman calling herself Daera had been unfortunate. At first it had seemed like nothing; a chance encounter between two people with a certain shared history and nothing more. The pointed questions that Daera had asked made it clear to Rosellina that she was not as easily duped as would have been best under the circumstances. Rosellina had managed to stick to her cover story as much as possible, but the other woman seemed unconvinced.

"I wonder what Lord Warten would think if he knew that I called him my father?" Rosellina murmured to herself with a smirk. "He'd probably laugh. At least he's not an active field agent anymore where his cover can be blown. I need to handle this situation as delicately as possible."

There were really only a few ways to handle it, each with their pros or cons. Rosellina stopped pacing and sat down on her couch, going over each of them one by one as if reading down a list.

I can pretend it never happened and ignore the entire thing.

The option involved no work and might be successful, but was largely dependent upon the undead woman's actions. If she began to ask more questions or worse, began to follow Rosellina around, it could result in a complete ruination of her mission. That would be intolerable given the potential danger to Stormwind and the future good she could do in other assignments.

I can confess everything.

This option involved finding the woman again. Somehow Rosellina knew that she'd be able to locate her. It was unlikely that someone as observant as the Death Knight appeared to be would fail to see Rosellina walking about the city openly, especially if she stuck to the area around the orphanage. The strange undead woman would likely come to see what Rosellina was about and she could discuss it there. The only problem was that this was a major breach of security, and she knew next to nothing about the Death Knight.

I can eliminate her.

It was a bloody option indeed, but it would solve the problem most permanently. There were only two problems with the situation. The first was that Daera had committed no crime and was not worthy of death as far as Rosellina saw. Rosellina believed in her work, and executing innocents merely to protect a secret was not part of what she saw herself doing. She wasn't even sure that the situation was life or death anyway; she couldn't just go off on a murder spree because she was afraid. The second issue was that she had little training in relation to Death Knights, and was unsure whether or not the task could be carried out properly. Could she even be poisoned? Would a knife put her down? It was too risky to attempt and if Rosellina failed, she'd have given the undead woman a reason to try and betray her.

I can try to go over her head.

This option seemed less confrontational, and had the potential of gaining allies. It would be irresponsible for Rosellina to reveal her identity to Daera, but what about Daera's superiors? While the Ebon Blade was a neutral organization, individual military divisions worked for either the Horde or the Alliance. Given Daera's presence in Stormwind, it was obvious which side her company stood on. If Rosellina could contact her superiors and reveal the importance of her mission to them, she could then prevent Daera from potentially ruining the mission and may gain access to some resources in a pinch provided she could offer similar favors back. It seemed like a sound plan, and in a worst case scenario the Death Knights would betray her identity and make her have to get reassigned; a reassignment that would likely involve hunting them down given that they would have betrayed the Crown.

Rosellina nodded to herself, mind made up. She stood and walked to her writing desk, taking out two fresh pieces of parchment and a gnomish writing device before seating herself and beginning to write. The first thing she wrote was a quick status report to SI:7 command.

Working to identify ship's destination. Will await return of ship to question crew. Packages left on morning tide. More information in coming days. Cover potentially threatened. Will turn into opportunity to procure more information sources if possible. No action recommended at this time.

She nodded as she finished, beginning to fold the letter in preparation for its insertion into the delivery container. This particular note would be left in a dead drop that consisted of a pile of trash. An empty milk bottle with other crumpled paper would be the designated drop off method. With that out of the way, Rose paused, pen over the next blank sheet of paper.

She would need to word the next letter very, very carefully. It was never easy to convince someone to help you despite themselves.

Underlying Causes

Stormwind Harbor, Falconoak Pier

Midnight

Rosellina moved quietly, each footstep carefully planned to avoid bumping into any of the crates or other materials left along the ship's deck or within the storerooms beyond. Some of the deck-boards could potentially creak from her weight, so she took care to apply weight slowly with her toes first before planting her boots in place.

It made for mind-numbingly slow going and was nerve-wracking given the presence of armed sailors patrolling the edge of the pier, but Rosellina knew that she couldn't afford to alert the men of her presence. Although it took an agonizingly long time, she finally made her way across the ship's deck and over to the one storeroom that had a lock affixed across its double doors.

With a smile on her lips, Rosellina crouched down, her lithe fingers deftly working a tool into the lock and manipulating the tumblers within. In a moment the lock popped open, and she eased the small bit of chain keeping the doors closed to the side and slipped inside, pulling the door closed behind her.

She found herself in a storeroom that was located beneath the aft deck of the ship, unconnected to the other rooms on the vessel. The isolation of the room and the fact that there was only one entrance which had been locked spoke volumes of the value of the cargo stored in the House Falconoak vessel. The room was filled almost floor to ceiling with the flat crates that Rosellina had observed being loaded earlier in the day, their exteriors devoid of any markings or other identification. Quite odd considering that most merchant goods were stamped with their contents and their port of origin.

After quickly surveying the place, Rosellina hurried across the room, crouching down next to one of the smaller stacks of the crates and running her hands over the topmost one. Up close she could see that the crates were about four feet long and a foot high, and wide enough to span several feet across. They were not crates that would be able to store bulk cargo, and Rosellina recalled the difficulty the men had had when handling them; clearly they were filled with heavy objects.

She reached to her belt and pulled out a utility knife, carefully applying it to the edges of the crate. In a matter of moments she'd popped the lid open and set it aside, her brown eyes widening as she discovered just why the crates had been so heavy and why they had an odd shape.

They were filled with swords.

Not just swords, unmarked swords. Swords that had no smith's stamp on them or any indication of military company or organization. Rosellina quickly looked around the room, estimating the sheer quantity of weapons likely contained in the crates around her.

Someone was outfitting an army.

But what army? And who was behind the shipment?

The thoughts swirled through her mind, but one thing was perfectly clear; she had to get a report in to SI:7 immediately. If these weapons had been meant for Stormwind's army they would have either been distributed in the city itself, or would have been clearly marked with their origin and stamped with a smith's mark and the company number they were requisitioned for. There was illegal arms dealing going on here, and someone needed to know about it right away.

Just as the thought passed through Rosellina's mind, a gruff voice called out on the ship's deck outside, “Hey! Are you people daft? You were supposed to put a lock on the storeroom!”

Another voice replied some distance away, seemingly perturbed, “I DID put a lock on it. Are you blind or something? Idiot...”

Rosellina moved quickly, affixing the lid back on the crate as quietly as she could. She looked around the room and saw that there was only a narrow window port at the storeroom's rear. It was likely locked and she had no time to work the lock. In a rush she dashed towards the highest pile of crates, nimbly scrambling up the surface.

With her hands and feet, she managed to brace herself between two ceiling beams above the storeroom just in time as the door banged open. Beneath her a sailor stormed in, a lantern in his hand. He held it up, peering around the room suspiciously, standing directly beneath Rosellina's position. She looked down at him from her place at the ceiling, her dark hair hanging down around her face and her body utterly still. She didn't even dare to draw in a breath.

After a moment, the sailor grunted to himself and lowered his lantern, turning and leaving the storeroom. She could hear the door slam shut and the sound of the chain being put back in place, the sailor muttering curses under his breath the entire time. Rosellina gave herself a moment to congratulate her quick thinking in avoiding detection; they never looked up.

Unfortunately, she was now locked in the storeroom. She urgently needed to escape and report her findings to headquarters. With the sailor gone, she hopped down, landing lightly on the floor and moving towards the port window in the back of the room. It was locked as she'd suspected but with a bit of oil that she carried with her she had it open and the window free with not a whisper of sound. The portal was just wide enough for her to shimmy her hips through, so it would likely do for an escape route.

There was just one problem; the neighboring dock was more than ten feet from the side of the ship, and Rosellina didn't know how to swim.

She looked down into the dark blackness of the harbor's water, the moonlight reflecting off its surface. She looked back up to the neighboring dock, despairing. It might as well have been a thousand miles away; she'd never be able to leap that distance. Even so, she knew she had to try; someone had to be warned about what she'd discovered.

With determination on her face, Rosellina perched on the window's ledge, preparing herself mentally for what she was about to do. With a deep breath, she launched herself into the air, flying towards the neighboring dock. The wood sped towards her, and hope rose in her heart as she began to think she might make it. Unfortunately she quickly reached the highest point in the arc of her jump, and she began to fall short of her goal. With feet left to spare, she plunged into the cool waters of the harbor, the water swallowing her in an instant.

Beneath the dark surface of the water she floated in utter blackness, panic rising up in her as she saw the glimmering light of the moon getting further and further away. She tried her best to thrash her arms, only managing to stall her descent into the black depths of the water below her but unable to bring herself closer to that glowing moon.

As her air began to run out, she stared at the moon, its light rippling through the impossible distance to the water's surface. Despair began to run through her, and she prepared herself for that moment when her lungs would give out and water would rush in. Deep in her mind, a single thought drifted through the internal screaming that echoed in her head.

This is the absolute dumbest way I could have died...

Even as she thought it, a sharp pain lanced through her scalp. To her surprise she felt herself rising, the pain overwhelmed by a feeling of relief as that moon got closer to her and her head broke the surface. She took in a great gasping breath, the air the only thing she could think about for a moment until she realized that she was in a great deal of pain.

Someone had pulled her out of the water by her hair, and it hurt like a bitch.

She flailed around, and felt arms slipping under her own arms and pulling her up further, onto the dock. She was deposited roughly on her back, still gasping as she stared up at the sky. The face of a fisherman loomed over her, concern on his face mixed with some irritation.

“Lass, if you don't know how to swim, don't be wanderin' so close to the edge of the dock eh?” he said gruffly. “Done went and scared away all the fish now with your thrashin'. Now I ain't gonna be eatin' tonight.”

Rosellina took in a few more gasps of breath before she nodded at him, murmuring a thank you. She reached into a pouch on her belt, feeling coins in her hand. She thrust them at the man, gold spilling from her palm into his and onto the dock around them; far more than was justified. She didn't care though, she was alive and she had a job to do.

As the man gathered up the coins, he paused as he watched the drenched girl run off, leaving wet bootprints behind her and making a squelching sound as she ran. He shook his head, counting the excessive amount of gold she'd just paid him.

“Ah well, that'll do then lass, that'll do,” he said to no one in particular. He shook his head again, heading towards a nearby tavern and a nice dinner, “Wish all my fishing trips ended with such a valuable catch.”

He chuckled, walking away leaving the dock empty and quiet behind him, the House Falconoak ship sitting ominously at its own pier in the darkness of the harbor.